𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐢 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐨 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬.
𝐖𝐎𝐓𝐄, 𝟏𝟏𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 – Makueni County is stepping up efforts to strengthen the mango value chain by bringing farmers, cooperatives, exporters, processors, offtakers and regulators together to tackle persistent market and production challenges.
The stakeholder forum was organised by the Department of Agriculture in partnership with TradeMark Africa (TMA) and brought together representatives of 22 mango farmer cooperatives across the county, exporters, local offtakers, processors, KEPHIS, HCD and officers from the Departments of Agriculture, Trade and Devolution.
The discussions focused on traceability, quality standards, cooperative capacity, market linkages and the role of mango marketing agents, with stakeholders seeking practical solutions to improve the competitiveness of Makueni mangoes.
Addressing the forum, County Secretary Dr. Justin Kyambi emphasised that quality must remain at the heart of the mango business. He urged cooperatives to strengthen farmer records, better understand their membership and mobilise more farmers into organised groups to enhance traceability and collective marketing.
The stakeholders agreed that cooperatives should assess their capacity to aggregate and transport mangoes directly from farms, while maintaining continuous engagement with exporters and offtakers. Contract farming was also identified as a key pathway towards creating more predictable markets and reducing uncertainty for farmers.
Dr. Kyambi noted that the County Government is pursuing new opportunities to expand mango markets, including a recent delegation to Oman to explore potential export markets.
Agriculture Chief Officer Kinns Mwania urged farmers and cooperatives to make full use of available pack houses while ensuring that mangoes meet required quality and handling standards.
The forum marked a renewed push for stronger collaboration across the mango value chain, with stakeholders committing to ensure that Makueni mangoes reach markets in the right quality, quantity and condition; and at better returns for farmers.
